Did It Work? Examining the Impact of an Alcohol Intervention on Sanctioned College Students

Universities often conduct alcohol interventions for individuals who have violated institutional, local, or state laws. Few of these programs have been evaluated thoroughly. This study examined the impact of a 10-hour alcohol education course on 400 college students whose attendance was required as part of a judicial sanction. The quasi-experimental study design had participants completing a pretest and posttest with a follow-up survey 3 months after completion of the program. Instruments designed for this study were used to examine alcohol use, perceived effects of alcohol use, risk of alcoholism, and negative consequences associated with use. Pre–post comparisons showed decreased quantity–frequency of alcohol use, reduced negative consequences, and increased perceived risk. However, only increased perceived risk continued 3 months after the intervention. Implications for practice are provided.